The chance
by morelli.doy
Summary: Running away from the insults and burns from the gang in the basement about Hyde and his stripper wife, Jackie decided to cut ties with them and the Formans. But after 4 years of isolation, what happens when Jackie had to fight her own demons when she had to go to the Formans Christmas party in 1983? (Fez and Jackie? never happened!)
1. Chapter 1

**Author's note: Hello there humans! here I am again.. Killing you people with my boring fanfics... but i don't care... wait, no I do. Hehe. so, anyways, enjoy this one Humans!**

 **Disclaimer: 'I do own That 70s show' huh... whatcha' know? it does sounds much better in my head**

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Christmas time, the time to sit around with family and friends having fun and talking about happy moments and creating happy moments with them. The Forman's household is never the exception, people walking in and out of the house to decorate every little part of the house, people exchanging burn with one another and have a little laugh that was caused by the two idiots from the basement, a little of Kitty Forman's famous Christmas treats and a few threats of foot in ass by the infamous Red Forman. But that was four years ago, the time Jackie Burkhart was still a part of the little basement misfit before the stripper came and rip off her soul and all.

After Jackie left to save her sanity and a little part of her soul, she cut ties with all of the basement misfits and as well with the Forman's and now Jackie Burkhart's Christmas is not even full of warmness like it used to like four years ago. Just like any other holiday, she would just sit in her room at her parent's old house, eating either yogurt or bags full of chips in front of the TV, watching the holiday special and since she's a horrible cook, she would just bogart every yogurt and chips in literally every shop in Point Place. It has been the same routine since she had left the basement a few weeks after Hyde's stripper wife arrived. After finally pulling herself out of the big and empty mansion, she had decided to be a makeup artist for the local news anchor. Even though she know she had to touch people's sweat and let alone hers, it was the only way she could get money and pay the bill, so the empty mansion could have a little heat only for her. Knowing it herself, she is a great at giving makeup to people, but after her little makeup session with a pretty famous news anchor, her name is recommended to every artist that have 'been coming into this dingy little town. And just like that Jackie Burkhart's name is known by everyone in Point Place and Kenosha area.

After two years of being a makeup artist, she had to open her own beauty shop, Burkhart Beauty. She had gone to a rough patch on this little shop as not many people would come to her shop. But after months of efforts and hard work, her now little shop is having too many clients and customers, she even thought of opening another shop. And the best part is she gotten herself two workers that afraid of her but at least they're loyal and she actually could afford herself to buy her father's old Lincoln back.

Finally her dream of being rich and successful had finally accomplished, but what's the use of being rich when you've got no one to share the success with, since she cuts the ties with her friends and the Forman's, she mostly spent her free time reading, thinking and sometime she would go and exercise to lose some extra weight and she even did a bit redecorating in her room. Well if this is the price to cutting ties with those people then she would willing to do that then.

She knows that if kitty or even Red knows that she had been living her life alone in the Burkhart mansion, eating yogurt and chips to live, they would either come to her home every day to make sure she eats more healthy food or much worse; they would drag her to the Forman's fortress, where everyone is, Especially where Steven Hyde and his stripper wife are.

That's why she had been avoiding them all, until today.

As usual, after closing her shop on a Tuesday night, Jackie will drive her blue Lincoln to the nearest grocery shop and buy some chips and yogurt. After picking five different kinds of potato chips, she went to the frozen aisle. As she was trying to decide to pick either plain yogurt or strawberry yogurt, she hears a warm familiar voice, "Jackie?"

Jackie quickly turns her body and sees a little blonde older lady with a bit straighter hair, smiling at her as she claps her hand giddily. Jackie smile at the old lady that she had considered as her second mother as her mother is still somewhere in Mexico, whoring herself.

"Hello Mrs. Forman" she greeted

Kitty quickly pull her into a tight but warm hugs as she ramble next to her ear about how everyone misses her and how quiet the basement was without her. Jackie silently rolls her eyes, but didn't say anything. She actually didn't believe that everyone misses her, Fez, she would believe, but not Steven Hyde and Donna Pinciotti.

Jackie hugs kitty back, snuggling into Kitty's neck, missing everything about the little woman. "Oh I miss you too, Mrs. Forman" she mumbles and earn Kitty's famous laughs.

As they finally pull away from the hug, Kitty pull Jackie's little hand towards the frozen peas section. From afar, she could see a man frowning as he looks at the two different bags of peas in his hand, "Red!" Kitty calls out as she pulls her even closer to the balding man

"Ok Kitty, I've enough. I'm going to take both-" Red stop midway as she sees the little brunette next to his wife. The two bags of peas are long forgotten as he practically throws it back into the deepfreeze in front of him

Red quickly pulls her into a warm hug and mumble into her ear, "there you are my favorite loud one" Jackie is taken aback at first but she quickly recover and hug the older man back. "I miss you too, Mr. Forman" she says from his shoulders

As they pull away from the hug, Kitty pulls Jackie to face her and look at the little brunette from head to toe, "oh honey" the older woman calls out, "haven't you eaten anything at all? You're all bones" she says worriedly.

"I do Mrs. Forman. Don't worry, it's just that I don't eat that much" she says, earning frowns, "so, have been bogarting the stores chips huh?" Red asks as he points at her shopping cart a few feet away from them.

Jackie panic a bit, not wanting the Forman's to worry she added, "No, I eat yogurts too"

The moments those words flew out of her mouth, she regretted it. There's a scowl dented on the two parents figure face, "honey" Kitty calls out, "when is the last time you had a hearty food?"

Jackie ponder at the question, she scrunch her nose a bit, trying to remember the last time she had taken anything that would even consider as a meal, "uh, I had that burger that one time" she says lamely

Red crosses his arms across his chest as he points out his chin, "and when is that?" Jackie stutters a bit before answering, "Uh, like a month ago. I guess"

The married couple scowl at her as the raven beauty just fiddled with her fingers and look on the tiled floor in the grocery store. Then the older woman speak up, "that's it, you're coming to our Christmas Eve party next week, honey"

Jackie quickly looks at Kitty with nervous plaster on her face, "what?" she squeaked and quickly shakes her head "no, Mrs. Forman. I don't think that's a good idea, you know? As matter of fact, I just remember that I have a big sale on my shop that day, so I might be tired and I think I would just stay at home, you know" she tried but Kitty just shakes her head.

"Nonsense" she says, "it's Christmas. No shop is crazy enough to open on Christmas nights"

Jackie bit her bottom lips, silently cursing at the older lady for being right. She tried to come up with another excuse but then kitty added, "And a young girl like you shouldn't spend the Christmas Eve and Christmas time alone"

"but I did, since 1979" she says without missing a beat, but quickly regretted it as she saw the older women tearful eyes, Jackie sighed, this is not going to end well, "Mrs. Forman, I'm sorry but I can't go to your house anymore"

"Why not?" she squeaks, making Jackie to feel more guilt

"He is there, with his wife" she shortly replied

Kitty and Red turn to face each other with guilty looks plaster on their face, "kid" Red calls out, "they aren't married actually, it was all a scam. After you left, months later, Sam's real husband came back to retrieve his wife back and now Steven's not married anymore"

Red's explanation didn't earn any reaction from the little girl in front of them "oh" is only her reply is.

"Please, Jackie" Kitty reaches for the little raven's beauty's hand and gently rubs it, "I could save a seat for you" she says with a sparkly eyes, making Jackie to hesitate a bit.

"But, Mrs. Forman, I-"

"No" she cuts sternly, "I have spent almost four years without you and I am not going to celebrate Christmas Eve without you again" she says with a very stern voice that made Jackie shut her mouth, afraid to cut the older lady off.

"Over the years, I have given you food to munch on and I even made you those couple parties crap and what did I get?" she ask as her hands are flailing around, " **Four** years of missing of each of our lives"

And there you go, guilt trips made by Kitty Forman that always made every of her little basement misfits to cave in out of guilt. Jackie let out a long sigh and turns to the smirking balding man, "I've got no choice, do I?" she ask, "nope" he says not missing a beat, the smirk still plaster on his lips.

Well it's much better than eating yogurt and watching, 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas', alone, maybe.

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 **Author's note: so... how's that for the first chapter? I won't update unless I get a review, humans. so I was hoping to get one, Yup. anyways, see you guys in the next chapter, Bye!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note:Yup... another update... Yeay! i guess.. it's a bit longer than I thought and I wanna thanks the humans that's kind enough to review on my story.. You people are just wonderful... so here you are, another chapter, enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: 'I do own That 70s show' huh... whatcha' know? it does sounds much better in my head**

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Chapter two

24 December 1983,

Christmas Eve,

Forman's kitchen

Kitty hums to a familiar Christmas song as she close the oven door and puts the baking pan on the counter. She looks at the food she had just made since this morning. She looks at the tuna casserole that she just pulled out from the oven it still shocks her to learn that Jackie would eat anything with fish in it as the mother figure could recall that the little brunette would never eat with fish in it.

But that doesn't matter anymore. Because now all of her little band of misfits from the basement will be there. She started to remember the year of 1979, since Jackie had left them all

-Flashback-

"You!"

Everyone in the basement jumped at the sudden interruption by the two older figures that were barging from the basement door. Everyone scowl in confusion at two older couple, who are looking angrily at the now married couple.

"You, the both of you are the reason why one of my babies left me" Kitty says as she points to Hyde and his wife, making the others scowl to deepen

"Uh, Mrs. Forman" Hyde calls out, "I think Forman left to get scholarship so he could get into any college he dreams to get into" he says, making Kitty to squint her eyes at her second son.

"Not that you dumbass" Red spoke up behind his wife angrily. "Jackie's not coming here anymore" he says, making everyone to widen their eyes in surprise. Then Fez spoke up, "Aye, no. my goddess won't be here anymore? Aye No" he cried sadly but the rest just shrugged it off like a fly had landed on their shoulder

"Are you sure she's not coming back, Mrs. Forman?" Donna asked, "I mean the last time she said she would leave the basement but she is somehow still here" she says with a goofy grin on her face but the older couple didn't share the same thought.

"yeah, going have to agree with big D over there" Hyde says as he pulls his wife to sit on his lap, "even if you lock the door, she'll just make her way into here again" he joked, but the Forman's didn't find any humor in it

"No, I have called her a thousand times and we even banged on her doors like a million times now but she didn't even freaking answer" she snaps, making everyone to jump a bit. Then Randy spoke up, "so? I thought you wanted the whole house to be empty and free from the infections of the dumbasses that have been polluting your basement. If she's gone maybe who knows? Someone else is going to be gone too" he says as he pushes himself to stand on the ground and went to the deep freeze and gotten himself a soda but when he turn around he flinched a bit at the older couple who are frowning at him.

"Who are you?" Red asked, realized maybe Red had forgotten him, Randy extended his hand to Red shake and let out a charming smile, "I'm Randy, sir"

Red smile at him before spoke, "Randy" he calls out "get out" his smile was quickly faded and replaced with a frown as a finger pointed to the basement door. Randy smile faded and his hand fell to his side, he wanted to argue but seeing the seriousness on the old man face made him scared a bit. Slowly Randy moved past the old couple and pick up his jacket on the stereo and left.

"You know, it's all your dumbasses fault!" kitty suddenly said as she points to the two blondes in the room and Hyde, earning scowls from them. "You keep throwing this- this tramp to her face showing that you are happy without her but everyone knows that it is just full of crap"

Hyde wanted to argue back but Kitty had turn to Donna, "and you" her voice is much deeper with hatred now, "are you even her friend? Because if you are, you are not being a good friend right now" she spat angrily. For the first time, they saw their sweet mother figure spat

"And for the first time in my life I am going to say this to all of you; you all had disappointed me"

And with that Kitty quickly ran upstairs on the wooden exterior, leaving the three kids feeling guilty, then Red speak up, "everyone, get out"

Everyone looks at him with confusion plastered on their face, "what?" Donna ask him weirdly as if she was trying to make sure he is just messing with them, but his face tells another tale

"you heard me, everyone out" he says as he opens the basement door, "until the loud one return, you dumbass are not allowed to step into this house and I forbid you idiots to" Everyone scowl at him, "but we live here" Sam says, earning an arched eyebrow from him, "well now you don't, now everyone OUT!"

And with that, everyone scrambled out of the basement as Red slammed the door behind them and mutters 'dumbass' under his breath as he takes his steps up the wooden stairs

-End Flashback-

Kitty let out a long sigh as she recalled the night Jackie decided to not come to her house anymore and the same night Red had kicked all of her basement babies from her house, including their second son and his wife. And for the first time, Kitty isn't mad at Red for doing that.

After Hyde and his wife had been kicked out from the house, they lived with Fez for a while and after a few month, they've finally gotten their own place. But after almost half a year of marriage, they realized that the marriage is actually a scam as the stripper's real husband same back to retrieve his wife, leaving her poor little broody boo alone, drunken and somehow still alive.

But she quickly cave in for Fez as she felt sorry for the young man as he always come to their house but just stood there, on their driveway until the sun is set or Red would just spray him with the water hose, so the boy would leave already. But Fez didn't give up easily as he would come back again the next day.

Kitty could remember, walking into her kitchen to make lunch and sees Fez standing in the middle of their driveway in the heavy pour of rain, waving to her as he notices her coming into the room. He was shaking but that didn't fade his smile or his warmness to wave to the older lady but he was hugging himself and rubbing his upper arm up and down, trying to find some warmth. After letting the poor boy in, he was shaking like a mad man as she wrap him with a warm afghan and give him a hot cocoa

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Kitty" the still shaking boy spoke "I should've protect my- my goddess but no, I was busy, was busy cha- chasing- Hachiu!" the boy sneezed, then he quickly rubs his nose with the end of the afghan, "I was too busy chasing whores" he says behind the piece of clothing, making Kitty rub his back warmly and serves him a hot plate of brownies.

"Mrs. Kitty"

"Yes dear?"

Kitty look at the boy who just sat there, not touching his food or even drinks his hot cocoa, not even for warmth as he just looks at the plate of brownies sadly

"I've met Jackie that night after Mr. Red kicked us out"

And with that statement, it made Kitty to look at him with a widen eyes. She wanted to ask him everything, how is she? Is she eating right? Is someone's taking care of her there? Is her floozy mother is taking care of her? If she did, is she doing it right? But seeing the sad look on the young foreign man face, Kitty held back all of her questions

"Well, actually, she didn't want to meet me, so I had to climb up her window, but the first climb up didn't go as well as I thought" he says as he pulls up his sleeve and shows a few cuts and bruises on his forearms to Kitty as she just shakes her head at the boy misfortune

"But as I was in her room, she was curled up on her floor like a ball and she was crying Mrs. Kitty" Fez pout as he looks at his fiddled fingers "but to make it worse, she was holding a little knife and her left wrist is all scars and bloody"

Kitty almost jump hearing that news, she is purely worried right now, worried that something bad would happened to the little brunette

"What happened next, Fez? Oh my god, she's not dead right?" she ask with a teary eyes, scared of the thought of losing one of her basement misfits, "nothing happened actually" he says as he shakes his head "I called her, actually I was afraid that she will scream at me, telling me to get out, but she didn't say anything, I was scared that time but fortunately she looked up and she looked like a mess. It's like she hadn't eaten for a months, she was so skinny, I thought with one blow she would fly with the wind. So I just pull her to one of my warm hugs and she cried to my chest saying that everything had fallen apart. I just held her Mrs. Kitty, I held her until she fell asleep and I clean her cuts and wrap it with bandages and I left her in the morning with my special homemade sandwich and special pot of tea, oh, I even left her a half bags of candy, so she could have some little of sweetness in her" Fez told her then quickly added "oh, I even took all of the sharp things and every pills in the house so she won't do it again"

Fez looks at Kitty with tear filled his brown eyes, "Mrs. Kitty" he calls the older lady that he had long considered as his mother, "I'm a bad friend as Donna too, aren't I?"

"Oh honey, no you're not" Kitty cooed as she pulls the poor wrapped boy into her warm hugs, she slowly stroke his wet hair, "you're a great friend" she says "a much greater friend than that blonde harlot next door" she says as she tried to blink the tears that had been threatening to fall form her blue eyes

She remembered clearly that day and she officially lift the ban from the young foreign man, making the young man to jump giddily. But when the pretty man brunette heard about what had happened, he quickly drove from Chicago to Point Place, earning a few tickets but to him, it was worth it.

When she was making breakfast for her husband and for Fez, they suddenly heard a crash on the glass sliding door, "Ow, damn! How can I miss that?" Yelled a dumb man on the patio, he quickly open the door and stood in the middle of the kitchen and yell "I'm going to kick his ass so much!" Michael Kelso yelled into the warm kitchen.

Red scowl at the dumbass that have enter his house and just let out an exhausted sigh and muttered, 'dumbass' under his breath. But Kitty and Fez looks at the tall brunette with joy plastered on their faces, "oh, Michael, you're here! Sit down and I'll fix you something sweet" she says ash she ushered him to the chair next to Red, but the brunette just shakes his head, "I'm sorry Mrs. Forman, as tempting as its sounds , I'm going to downstairs to kick Hyde's ass. So, please, prepare an eye patch for me" he snaps but Fez quickly spoke up; "he doesn't live here anymore" he says as eat a piece of bacon then continues, "Mr. Red kicked him out"

Kelso turn to Red with a approving nod and added, "nice" then he took a seat next to Fez and turn to Kitty, "I think I'll take that offer of something sweet now" he says with a big grin as Kitty just nodded her head happily that she could feed another mouth

And as for Donna, her father was mad at how she treated the girl he had thought as his second daughter and as punishment he didn't talk to his little girl for almost a month. But then one morning, Kitty, Red, Fez and Bob was having breakfast, then, Donna came into the kitchen, "hey" she greeted them as her head bow down not wanting to look at their angry looks. She takes a deep breath before starting "I'm sorry" she squeaked "I shouldn't do that to Jackie, she is my friend and she is hurting but I didn't do anything to make her feel better and it- it's just that I'm hurting too. Eric left me, and I miss him and all" she says with tears fall from her eyes, Bob wanted to hug his little girl but Red held him back, then Kitty spoke up, "and you thought I didn't miss him?" she ask "Honey, I gave birth to him, of course I miss him too. You're not the only person he left, he left me too and now another of my babies left me too"

Donna look up a bit at Kitty with a little shame plaster on her face, "I know" the blonde says "I tried to call Jackie, to you know, to apologize to her but she didn't answer and I even tried knocking on her door but it's like nobody is there and I asked their neighbor but their neighbor is too snobby to answer me" Donna rise her heads up to look at all of them, "I'm sorry okay. I was hurting that time and I didn't thought of any of Jackie's hurt and I couldn't shake the thought of Jackie is now alone and she doesn't have any shoulder to lean on" she sobbed, then Kitty stood up and pull Donna into a tight hug, "it's okay honey" she says as she rubs Donna's back warmly, "she- she just needs some time apart from things, but believe me one day, she will come back home to us"

And four years later, she will really do.

Kitty was pulled away from the memory lane as she heard the fridge's door closed and a can is cracked open. She quickly turns to see her second son, standing there with a beer in his hand as he looks at the pictures she put up on the fridge. She smile slightly at the once again bearded man as he slowly gulped down half of his beer and then turn to his surrogate mother and smile at her.

She smiled back at him. She is a bit relief that Red had lift the ban from her second son a few weeks after they forgave Donna, she just misses this one misfits the most

"What are you thinking about Mrs. Forman?" Hyde ask as he notices that she had been staring at him for a while now, "oh nothing, it's just I'm excited for tonight's dinner!" she says excitedly as she places the cookies she baked on a plate, not noticing the young man puzzled look,

"Why? Is someone special coming?"

"Yes, someone very special is coming"

"Who?"

Kitty stopped in her tracks and slowly turns around to face the confused boy. No, they shouldn't know that Jackie's coming. It is going to be a surprise, a shocking surprise to the ungrateful dumbasses. Not knowing what to answer, Kitty let out a nervous answer as she slowly backs away towards the sliding door

"I- I think someone's calling me, yes, I'm coming!" she suddenly yell as if someone is calling her, then she open the sliding door in a rushing manner and quickly stepped out, leaving the young man confused.

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 **Author's note: so... how's that for the second chapter? I won't update unless I get a review, humans. so I was hoping to get another one, Yup. anyways, see you guys in the next chapter, Bye!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's note: Helo my beautiful humans!, it is I, Dean here once again to update you with another of my lame ass story.. sorry for the late update guys.. I've been busy with school and shit... and maybe won't update any sooner or later but to make you all feel better I'll do a double update for my beautiful humans who actually cared enough to review,,, So anyways humans, enjoy this chapter, and don't forget, Review!**

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Chapter three

24 December 1983,

16:00 p.m.

Christmas Eve,

Burkhart's living room

Jackie sits in front of her television, eating a bag of chips as she turns every channel to find something fun to watch but fails.

She throws the flicker next to her as she just watches the news. She lets out a long sigh as she notices the date on the news, 24 December. Tonight, she will be facing every person that she had ever cut ties with, especially him. Jackie once again let out a long sigh as she remembered the talk she had with him that had caused her to cut ties with everyone

1979

Jackie takes a deep breath as she stands in front of the basement door. She is afraid to open the door. She is actually afraid to see the person behind this door. There won't be any idiot and his sidekick arguing about something behind the old beaten up couch. There won't be a geek and red head lumberjack messing around on the couch or even a burnout, sitting on his usual chair, scowling at the other couple messing around.

She knows when she opens the door there will be a blonde stripper in there, sitting on her usual place, on his lap and that pretty hair dude, Randy, sitting where the geek used to sit, next to Donna. The once welcoming basement had turn into a living hell that she had no idea exist.

Taking deep breath, she closes her eyes and opens the door and walk into the basement, still eyes closed then someone calls her, "Jackie?" she slowly opens her eyes and suddenly her eyes started to well up with tears. There on the couch is Eric looking at her with boring expression but still giving her a 'hello to you devil' and next to him is Donna with her red hair looking a bit bemused with her boyfriend calling for Jackie but she still turns her head and give Jackie a warm smile. Behind the couch is the two idiots arguing about the same thing probably, didn't even notices the brunette who just walked into the room. And there at the deepfreeze is him, Steven Hyde, looking a bit amuse with the two idiots arguing behind the couch but quickly look at her and gives her a warm smile saying that she is always welcome here.

She smiles back at him, but her smile faded a bit when one by one started to fade. Starting with Eric, as he had already left for Africa. Kelso, as the idiot has left to support his family in Chicago. Donna's red hair started to change into blonde and now she is out maybe sucking face with that Randy dude. Fez, as the young foreigner might be at his apartment nailing another chick as always. But somehow, Hyde is still standing there but he isn't smiling at her anymore, he just stands there with a boring expression with a can of beer in his hand. Everything is gone, especially the people she could call friends and love one.

"Steven" she greeted as she made her way to him but leaving a respectful gap between them. The burnout gives her a small nod as he leans on the deepfreeze, she looks his eyes behind those aviators, he looks cold and not welcoming behind those sunglasses, somehow she felt that is her doings. "I come here to talk" she says but he quickly shakes his head, "no, if you're just going to bad mouth my wife, I think you better leave, bitch" he says with venom in his voice.

Her heart broke at his words; he used to beat a guy to pulp just because they called her a bitch and now what's the difference does Hyde got than those guys now? But what hurt her, the most is the word **wife.** Somehow, it's like he wanted her to know that he could be married but never with her. "No Steven" she calls out "I'm not here to bad mouth you- your wife. I just want to know something" she takes a deep breath and let out a long sigh, "do you still love me?"

"What?" Hyde asked a bit taken aback by the question. Jackie looks at him with a hopeful gaze, "you know what I meant Steven, please, just tells me" she pleaded as she takes his hand and slowly grazes her thumb behind his hand. But he just gives her a mocking scoff and roughly pull his hand away from her, "you're delusional if you think I still love you"

She could feel tears forming in her eyes, he must be happy now, finally he had succeed in making the little bitchy brunette cry, she thought to herself. Chocking on her tears, she squeaked, "So- so, you're saying, you- you don't love me anymore?"

She wanted to see into those ocean blue eyes, to see if he's just messing with her but she knows all she can see is a plastic barrier covering his true emotions. Then the man takes a deep breath before answering, "I love Sam now"

And with that statement, it made Jackie's heart to fall and stomped and stabbed a million times. Jackie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath and slowly opens her eyes and gives him the coldest gaze he could ever see, "good to know" is all she could say before making her way back to the basement door. Before she could open the door, she turns to look at Hyde for one last time and say in her cold voice that she never knew she had, "have a nice life, Hyde" and she open the door and walk out of it and never came back since then.

1984

She remembered that day like it was yesterday, after calling the Forman's telling them that she couldn't come to their house anymore, she spent almost a week of crying and Self Harm. But luckily after Fez little visit, Jackie spent the whole month thinking and just shutting herself out. But when one day, it hit her, why suffering when she can just live her life freely without anyone to judge or burn? So, she decided to step out of the house and find a job and that was the time she found the makeup artist ad on the newspaper.

All she ever did in her life is working and now, she has her own little beauty shop and two workers and a car and a big house. It just made her empty heart filled with proud. Jackie's thought was pulled away as the phone ring. She quickly turns off the TV and quickly pick up the receiver; "hello?"

"Hello, Jackie?" calls a familiar voice, before Jackie could answer anything, she heard a heavy accent male voice cuts in; "is that her? Oh Brooke, give that to me! I need to talk to my goddess!"

"No Fez, you have to wait for your turn, you promised didn't you?"

"But-"

"Didn't you?"

"Fine, but if she hangs up before I could talk to her I swear to god, you'll regret you ever met me"

"And that's the risk I willing to take"

Jackie chuckle at the little spat on the other end and calls out, "hello? Brooke?"

"Oh, I'm sorry Jackie. You know how Fez can be"

Jackie could hear an angry huff and lets out a small chuckle, "yeah, I miss that guy, now how are you and the Kelso's?" she asks warmly at the thought of her God daughter and her surprisingly 'girlfriend', Michael.

"Great, but little Betsy misses you" she informs and quickly added, "and your 'girlfriend' misses you too" Brooke chuckles at her words, "that other day he says that he misses talking bad about other chicks with you and when I offered to do it with it me he says that all he can talk with me is something he should or shouldn't do as an adult, do you believe that man?" Jackie chuckle at Brooke's rant over Kelso, she need to agree with Kelso, she did too misses the bad mouthing she did with him.

"Oh right, I almost forgot!" Brooke exclaimed excitedly, "I heard that you're coming to dinner tonight, is it true?" the other end asks as she just let out a sigh

"You know how Mrs. Forman is" she shortly reminded the other latter as she just giggled. "She made a guilt trip on you, huh?"

"Man, that old lady is good" Jackie jokes, earning another girlish giggles from Brooke.

Jackie smiled to herself, after knowing that she didn't show to the basement anymore, Brooke decided to call up on her every once a week or she would invite Jackie over to dinner and that made the little brunette feel good to know that someone still care about her. She would sometimes feel bad that she had to miss Kelso and Brooke's wedding but thankfully they understood her absents. Before, she would go to Chicago to spend time with them, but since they moved back to Point Place a few months ago, it was kind of hard for her to make little visit to their little apartment as she's afraid that she might bumped into someone from the basement, particularly; Steven Hyde, as she always hears from Brooke since they moved back here, they would always gather at the Kelso's fortress.

"Jackie are you there?" Brooke calls softly from the other end, snapping her from her gaze, "yeah, I'm fine" she assured. "Hey" she calls out, "do you think it's a great idea? Going to this little shindig I mean" she asks as she pulls her brunette locks slowly wither slender fingers. "I think this is just a mistake, I think I shouldn't come, for good measures"

"What? No!" the woman on the other side cried, a bit panic and Jackie could hear she whine to Fez, "Fez, Jackie says she's not coming!"

"What?!" before Jackie could speak, Fez spoke up; "ok, you listen here, Missy" he says with his heavy accent covered with anger, "you're going to come here, and you are going to doll up, make that Self Center bastard kiss every ground that you step and believe me, if you're not there, you're going to see Fez's dark side!"

"But Fez-" she calls out, "I said dark side!" he exclaims sternly, and Jackie had to stifle her laugh hearing his angry rant, she really misses this one friend of hers. "Fine, I'll come for you and Brooke and the Forman's and for my little Betsy Bets and Michael" she cooed as the other end claps his hand giddily, then a thought hits her. "Uh Fez" she calls the foreign man, "Does anyone knows that I'm coming?" she asks curiously. This question had bothered her almost one night, causing her to get the dark circles under her eyes.

"No, Mrs. Kitty just told me and Brooke" Jackie lets out a relief sigh upon hearing that. "Great! Now if you'll excuse me I have to pick out the most beautiful dress and do my hair and makeup and I'll see you guys and say, another two and a half hours"

She heard the young man sigh and she could imagine the man to pout like a four year old "don't worry Fezzy" she assured, "we'll gossip when I arrived at the Forman's okay?"

"Fine" the young foreigner mumbles then she hears Brooke's voice; "ok Jackie, go and get ready, we'll meet you later, ok?"

"Ok Brooke, I'll see you later"

"Oh, and one more thing, honey"

"Yeah?"

"Just remember that the Kelso's and the Forman's are always here for you okay?"

Jackie feels warm inside as a smile crept onto her lips then she heard Fez's angry voice from the back, "What about Fez, You son of a bitch!" Brooke sigh on the other side then added with her monotone voice, "and Fez too"

Jackie chuckles at their little spat and reply, "Thanks guys, I love you"

She slowly puts the receiver down to the phone and takes a deep breath before standing on her feet. It's going to be a hell of a dinner tonight

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 **Author's Note: Yup there you go... the next chapter is coming right up -Dean**


	4. Chapter 4

**AN: so,,, yeah,, This is gonna be my last update and no. I'm not abandoning this story... it's too fun to abandon it... but because I'm gonna have this big test for like a month and I seriously need to study... I have to focus on my study first... so yeah... don't cry my lovely humans, because i promise one day I\ll update another chapter for you humans.. so now, please enjoy this short chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: Man, If I actually own those idiots in the basements, I might be sleeping with satan here.**

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Chapter four

24 December 1983

Christmas Eve,

07:00 p.m.

Burkhart's mansion

Jackie takes a deep breath as she looks at herself one more time in the mirror. She's wearing a black top dress with bright red for the skirt. She wore a long sleeve dress, so she could hide all of her cuts that still scar her left wrist. She looks at her face, she wasn't wearing much makeup like she used to once ago as she just puts on a light lipstick and a few dabs of powder on her face. She lets her long hair loose behind her back. She looks perfect in anyone's eyes, but she knows, behind those perfectness is just another scrambled mess. She lets out a long sigh and wore a blue denim jacket and picks up the bags full of presents and walk out of the Burkhart mansion.

After locking the doors, she takes a long walk on the icy curb. She walks down the road to familiar place, the place that she could call home, the home she hadn't come to for almost four years now. Without noticing, she had finally arrived at the Forman's porch. She stopped in front of the front door, trying to catch her breath, tired and a bit sore for walking in her boots for ten miles from her house. She was hesitating at first but quickly musters her courage and brought her hands up and knocks the door lightly.

She could hear a little shriek of joy coming from the inside, yelling; "Oh, she's here!" and a shuffling sound as it made its way to the front door and quick flung open from the inside, showing an excited Kitty, she could see the stairs is decorated with green garlands.

Kitty quickly pulls her into a tight hug. "I knew you would make it!" she says between their hugs as Jackie just rubs the older woman's back warmly, "How can't I when you made me go on that guilt trips of yours" she says jokingly earning a girlish giggles from Kitty.

Kitty pulls away from the hug and look at the younger brunette. "And you look gorgeous, honey" Jackie smile as she fishes out a big bottle of champagne from her paper bag "I think that compliment deserves a little bit of something, doesn't it?" she says as she playfully arched her brows up and down. Kitty cooed and takes the bottle from her hand. "If this I'm getting, I should Compliment you more often from now on" Kitty says as she ends it with her famous laughs.

"Oh honey, come in. you must be freezing" Kitty usher her into the living room and closes the door behind her. As Jackie steps into the decorated living room, all memory started to flash upon her mind. The tears, the heart breaks, the loves and mostly, the hates. Jackie closes her eyes upon remembering the memories in her head, making the older lady next to her worried.

As Kitty opens her mouth to call out the little brunette, another voice beat her to it, "Jackie?"

Jackie slowly opens her eyes and she is welcomed by the familiar faces looking at her with happiness and shocked. Well mostly shocked. Eric and Donna are sitting on the couch with their mouth wide open; she smirks at the sight of Donna twitching in her seat, but her smirk quickly turn into a genuine smile at the sight of Kelso and Fez as they are looking at her with awe as they entangled their hand with each other, maybe fighting over a toy. She turns to the stairwell and let out a big grin as she sees Brooke standing next to it, giving her a warm smile. Her eyes finally fell onto the man who had called her; he is standing from his seat on the pea soup chair, pure shock plastered on his face.

Jackie looks at the curly haired man; his physique has changed a bit, as he decided to keep another scruffy beard once again. His body is much more sculpted than before and he's, for the first time, not wearing a sunglasses as the pure blue in his eyes has shock in it. Her breath hitched in her throat, her heart is beating rapidly against her chest, and she felt like the first time looking into those damn blue eyes. Jackie takes a deep breath and slowly let it go. Somehow her mind's telling her that this is just another mistake, to come back here, to come back into their lives.

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 **AN: and don't forget to review. Tata! -Dean**


	5. Chapter 5

**AN:** yeah,,, Finally I could finally upload another story! it's been a hectic week guys, with my exams and stuffs. But now I've return and I'm going to do my best to update another one just for you Humans. and thanks for the flowing and favorites! it meant a lot!

 **Disclaimer:** If I did own them, they'll still go on until today.

so, Enjoy!

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Chapter five

24 December 1983

Christmas Eve

07:15 p.m.

Forman's living room

For the first time in ever, the Forman's household is ever quiet. And now for the first time, the record is broken when everyone in the room looks at the tiny brunette that had just enters the room or more importantly, back into their life.

Finally, the silence was killed when some footsteps walking down the stairs in the living room. Everyone quickly turns to see Red Forman walking down the steps with Betsy holding his hand. From the stairs, the little Kelso shrieked, "Mummy Burkhart!" the little girl waddles her way down the stairs as she practically pulls Red down the stairs with her. As Betsy reaches the final step, she lets go of Red's hand and waddled her way to Jackie and hugs Jackie's legs. The little girl looks up at Jackie and let out a bug smile that looks exactly like her father's. "Mummy Burkhart!" she calls again, causing Jackie to smile warmly at the young girl.

As Jackie puts down her paper bag, she carefully picks up Betsy and shower the little Kelso with a thousand kisses, causing the little girl to giggle, "and how is my favorite little Goddaughter is doing?" she asks as she pulls away from the kiss. Betsy pulls out her pout; "not that good"

Jackie followed the little girl's pout and asks, "Why's that, baby?"

"You didn't come to my birthday party" Betsy says as she crosses her chubby arms across her chest, but her pout is still there. Jackie looks at the little girl apologetically, "I'm sorry honey" she says "I got stuck up at work that time"

The young Kelso frown at her Godmother, then she extended her chubby hand to her; "where's my gift then?"

"Betsy!" Brooke calls out with her stern voice, not liking the way her daughter is behaving. Jackie gives Brooke a warm smile, saying that she got this. Slowly, Jackie puts down her Goddaughter on the floor and kneels in front of her as she searches in her paper bag. Then she pulls out a wrapped gift and shows it to Betsy. "Tada! Here it is" she says causing the little girl's frown faded and quickly replace with a happy smile. Before Betsy could take the gift, Jackie quickly pull aback the gift, making the little girl pout again.

"And what do we say?"

"Thank you, Mummy Burkhart! I love you so much"

Jackie smiles at the young girl and gives the gift to the girl as she jumps happily at her present. Then the young Kelso stops jumping and turn to her Godmother once again; "this is not my Christmas gift right?"

"Betsy Kelso" Brooke calls again but this time her voice is much harder than ever, she slowly shakes her head to her little daughter as the little kid just pout. "It's okay Brooke" Jackie assure and turn to her Goddaughter and said, "no honey, this is just your birthday gift, I'll give your Christmas gift another day"

"How about tomorrow?" Betsy asks without missing a beat, making Jackie's smile to fade a bit. She doesn't want to disappoint her Goddaughter again, but she knows by 'tomorrow', it meant she have to come here again because they will always open their gifts with the Forman's and everyone.

Seeing her Godmother hesitates, Betsy pout. "You're not coming to celebrate Christmas with us again?" she asks again, but this time more sadly and tears started to well up in her little brown orbs.

"Now honey" kitty calls out as she puts both of her hands on the girl little shoulders "Your mummy here is awfully busy and she might be caught up in her work again" she says trying to help Jackie to lessen her burden or she just trying to guilt Jackie, so she could come to her house again tomorrow. And like always it worked.

Jackie lets out a long sigh; "fine, I'll be here tomorrow and celebrate Christmas with you okay?"

And with that the two people in front of her jump in giddy, causing the raven hair beauty to smile. "Granny Kitty help me open this gift, please?" Betsy says as she pulls the end of Kitty green blouse as Kitty just let out her signature laugh and follows the little girl into the den.

Jackie smiles at the two figures disappearing into the den and turn to see the smiling balding man in front of her. He held out his arms and she took it as a sign, quickly went into his arms. "Glad you decided to come, kid" he says as he pulls away from the hug

"Well, your wife is good at guilt trip, I had to come"

Red smirk at the brunette's remark and pull her to face the others; "okay listen up dumbasses" he spoke up with his stern face; "I want the loud one to stay, so if you do something stupid that could cause her to leave, all of you are going to leave with a foot in each of your asses"

Before leaving, he gives Jackie a little squeeze on her shoulder, giving her some strength as she just smiles at the older man. After Red left, Jackie felt like she is lifted and now she is spinning in the room, knowing who it is, she chuckles and puts her hands on the person's shoulder, so she won't be sent flying to the wall. As he puts her down, Jackie steadies herself and then gives the young man in front of her a warm smile.

"Why, hello there, Michael" she greeted the dopey grin man.

"Man, you're getting much hotter than the last time we met huh?" he says as he waggles his brow up and down, "you know, last week we were at the mall, shopping for some ugly sweaters but then a woman come up to me and ask me if a brown sweater looks great on her, so guess what I said to her" he says in a sing song tone.

Jackie gasps at him and playfully hits his chest, "you told her that whatever she wears, Brooke look hotter than her!" she says and the child like man just nod his head in excitement, "yeah I did!" he exclaimed excitedly.

"But that's our thing" she whines "but the difference is that you say I look hotter than anybody"

"Michael" Brooke calls out, not liking what she is hearing.

"What- I'm just being polite baby, you're much hotter than anybody" he says but he quickly turns and winks at the raven hair beauty, causing her to chuckle at him and his wife to roll her eyes at him.

Brooke makes her way to them and slowly pushes Kelso aside and pull Jackie into a warm hug, "Hey honey" she greeted and looks at the little brunette from top to bottom, "you look great"

Jackie smile at the tall brunette girl, "Thank you, and you don't look bad in red as I thought you would be"

Brooke smiles at the backhanded compliment, but before she could open her mouth, the mother of one child is pushed aside roughly by a shorter brown skin man as he pulls his goddess into a tight grip.

"I miss you. Where have you been? You look skinny, don't you eat anything? Is your whorey mother even feeding you? You left Fez alone, you crazy son of a bitch, okay. I'm sorry; you're my goddess, my beautiful goddess. But please don't leave me again" Fez pleaded as he tighten his grip onto Jackie, as if he didn't want to let go of the brunette. Making Jackie to suffocate a bit and feel guilty for leaving her one friend alone.

Jackie pats on his back warmly, "I know, I know. I'm so sorry, okay?"

Fez pulls away from the hug and scowl at her as he puts his hand on his hips. His face shows that he does not like her words; "No!" he exclaimed angrily "it's not okay! You left me alone with those bitches" he points to the people at the couch behind him, who are scowling angrily at him for his choice of words, "and now you're saying it's okay because everything is not okay!" he snaps angrily. Then Jackie slowly kneel to her paper bag and pulls out a big bag of M&M and shows it to him, "I'm sorry" is all she could say as the young man quickly snatch the bag of candy from her hand

"Apology accepted"

Jackie smiles at him and pull him into another hug, "I miss you too, Fezzy" she whispers into his ear and she felt him hug her back and he's slowly stroking her long hair. "I'm sorry I left you alone, I promise to always be there for you, okay?"

"It's okay my goddess" he mumbles between the hug, "at least you're still alive"

Jackie let out a pain smile, knowing what it meant. She pulls away from the hug and look at the other married couple in the room. She tried to avoid looking at Hyde but her damn eyes won't stop staring at him. He's now wearing his aviators, looking at her with his arms crossed across his chest. Huh. And she thought he had finally lose the damn sunglasses.

Jackie quickly snaps away from her trance and turns to the married couple and smile slightly, "hey" she greeted, then Eric slowly stand up to his feet and walk up to her with a big grin and pulls her into a hug, she is taken aback at first but quickly hug him back.

As Eric pull away, he spoke, "Huh" he sighed "I didn't caught by any hell fire". Jackie smile at him, "And what do you know? I didn't caught any geek's cooties"

Eric chuckle at her then playfully punch her chin slightly, "Never thought you'd be alive devil" he joked but she lets out a sad smile before quickly replace it with a big smile and ruffle his short hair, "And I thought you would get mauled up by lions by now"

Eric shrug and pulls out his pout, just like how she always remembered. "Well now we won't know right?" he joked and earns a little chuckle from her. Then her eyes caught the twitchy red head, sitting uncomfortably in the peanut gallery.

Jackie silently rolls her eyes and half-heartedly went to the red head and greeted her, "Hey Donna" she spoke up flatly "You dyed your hair back to red I see" she says, still using her flat tone, not interested to talk to her former best friend right now

Donna is taken aback by her tone but quickly greeted back, "Uh, hey Jackie! I didn't know you would be coming" she stops her words and frown a bit before continues, "Well apparently some of us doesn't know it either" the red head rubs her neck a bit before rambling, "so, uh, how's life treating you?"

Jackie smirks at the lumberjack nervousness, "Well, actually life couldn't get any better" she says matter of factly, then added; "Who would knew, being alone is much better than having a lousy company"

Donna felt a jab on her heart as her heard the raven beauty's words. Not knowing how to answer to that, Donna blurted, "Oh cool" she sways her arms back and forth and looks around, trying to change the topic, causing Jackie's smirk to widen.

"So" the red head finally spoke up, "I wanted to know" she trails her words, a bit nervous with this question but she need to know the answer. She stops swaying her arms and look at the little brunette nervously "Why didn't you come to my wedding?"

Everyone is taken aback by Donna's sudden question, but the raven hair beauty didn't react, not even a bit. Jackie just let out a little pout and a shrug. "I didn't feel like going"

That answer made everyone to scowl at the midget, but she just put a straight face, not caring about Donna's feeling, not even a little.

"What?" Donna asks with a frown dented on her face, felling another jab on her heart with her ex best friend's answer. "Well yeah, I thought about it you know" Jackie stated, "Then the thought of 'what good could I get if I went to your wedding' flash over, but it was quickly beaten to an episode of 'three's company' where Chrissy moves out but that new chick, what's her name again?" she ask as she turns to the others.

"Cindy" Fez answer as he looks up dreamily "Ah, that blonde is so dumb, I could do it to her a million times" then slowly his smile faded, "I need to take care of something" the young foreigner stated before running up to the bathroom upstairs causing everyone to scowl in disgusts

"Anyways" Jackie spoke up as she looks at the scowling red head, "Yeah, I was too caught by that episode that I missed your wedding"

Donna looks at Jackie with a bemused reaction "So, you missed my wedding because you were busy watching **one** episode of 'three's company'?"

"No" the brunette shakes her head "It was a marathon"

Donna's mouth fell in shock as she heard her answer. She shakes her head and takes a deep breath, taking this as karma of what she had done to this little brunette. Then, Kelso spoke up from the peanut section "Damn, there's a marathon? I told you we could not go" he whines to Brooke as she scowls at him angrily and smack his upper arm

"Ow, damn! What did I do?"

Dismissing the bickering couple behind the couch, Donna looks at Jackie with glassy eyes. This is all her fault. If she just wasn't an ass with Jackie before, she wouldn't lose her little friend. If she just be a good friend to her like she supposed to, Jackie wouldn't give her the cold shoulder. Donna bows her head down, on the urge of tears then she felt a hand on her shoulder. She looks up and sees her husband giving her a genuine smile a little squeeze to her shoulder, "How about a drink huh?" he offers "and hey, we could go crazy and get drunk and have a heavy drunken sex on the mini bar" he joked, making his wife to chuckle and follow him to the mini bar.

Jackie watches Donna gulp down a shot of tequila quickly, she smirks at the sight. Satisfaction crept into her as she watches her former best friend gulp down another shot of tequila. Then slowly, Jackie turns to face the only one person she hasn't greeted yet, she slowly takes a few steps and puts her hand on her back and let out a sly smile.

"And there he is, the town famous burnout, Steven Hyde"

"Stop, I'm flattered"

Jackie smile at his sarcastic response and he ask, "So, what made you come?" he takes a swig of his beer in his hand then continues "Desperate for attention? Or you need the dumb and dumber over there to compliment you on how great you look?" Hyde points to Fez and Kelso behind her as they look at him with a scowl.

"Hey!" the two yell unison but been ignored by the two former lovers. Jackie lets out a sweet smile. "Oh, Hyde" Jackie smirk when she saw Hyde jump a bit by the name she calls him then continues "I've already know I look great, I don't need those idiots to compliment me on my looks"

"Hey!"

Dismissing the call of anger from the peanut section, Jackie continue, "and I'm here to see if you're alive" Jackie looks at Hyde from head to toe, then added "I'm so glad that you are still alive and breathing, with that ugly carpet on your face"

Hyde lets out a sly smirk at her remark of his beard, then he slowly folded his arms across his tight chest, "and I could see you still made your way back here after four years" he stated with a smirk "Who would know? Jackie Burkhart doesn't have the thing they calls pride" he says with full venom.

Before Jackie could react, Kelso made a sound like it was a time out from behind the couch. "Ah!" he yelled, a bit angrily at Hyde "you can't say that" he says as he turns his head to the den, afraid that it will triggered any bald war fighting old man. "I don't think you want to upset the loud one, man" he informed "she's Red favorite" he says as he nodded his head in a Kelso manner, "yeah, I've been there" he stated as he let out a sigh and pretend to wipe a sweat on his brow, "Whew! That dude is strong!" he says as he recalls the day Red pulls him by the back of his collar and threw him out on the drive way. All he did was calling Red a sweet old man, because he would drive by the Burkhart mansion just to see if Jackie's alright. It was a compliment but at the end he got thrown out and Thank God, he only got a few scrape on his elbow and no scars on his million dollar face.

Hyde scowls at Kelso and slowly shakes his head "yeah" he trails "I'm just going to hang down the basement" he made his way to the kitchen door, followed by the others minus Jackie as she didn't know if she need to just stay up here or follow them. Eric stops in front of the swinging door as he sees the raven beauty just standing there.

"Hey" he calls her "come on, join the party down stairs" he invited as he waggled his brow "there's a chance the idiots brothers are going to scheme something stupid for Red to really kick them in their asses"

But she just shakes her head in defeat and lets out small smile, "yeah, I think I'm just going to stay here, you know? Maybe talk to Mrs. Forman or Red"

Eric stares at her blankly, clearly in disbelief and slowly arches his brow at the little brunette. "Yeah" he trails, "I thought, you'd know by now that Mr. Reginald Forman doesn't do talking" he informed as he just shrugged. He pushed the kitchen door open and motions her to walk first but she once again shakes her head in defeat and this time lets out a sad smile and fell onto the yellow couch and fumbles with her fingers nervously.

Eric wanted to leave. He would rather go down and watch the idiots do something stupid that surely pissed off Red, but when he saw that sad smile, he knew he had to talk to her. Eric slowly curse under his breath and walk to her and sit next her.

"Uh, come now" he started "you're family and you get the free pass to hang in the bat cave" he joked and playfully says in a hushed tone, "but don't you go runin' around and tell everyone in hell that"

Jackie lets a small chuckle and turn to him, "no thanks, Stick" she says "but I don't think I'm a family here" she informed before adding "no family should be treated like garbage"

"Hey, me and Laurie are family" he stated "and we've been treating each other like garbage for like a million years now" he exclaims but the girl just shakes her head a bit. "Because she **is** your family. Isn't Donna supposed to be my **best friend**? And believe me, she not doing a good job here" she says "and Hyde" she lets out a scoff at his name "he's no sunshine either"

Eric looks at her softly. She doesn't look like the girl he used to know four years ago, the girl that used to become the shallow little girl had grown up, and now she had become more mature than they can be. Then Jackie spoke, pulling Eric from his little thought, "And believe me if I go down there, it's either I exchange burn with Hyde or making your wife cry, your choice"

He lets out a small smile upon her remark, "hey want to know something?" he asks the brunette

"Is this about star wars? Because if it is, I'm leaving" she stated, earning a chuckle from the geek, "no" he informed "I think you should make Donna cry" he says with an evil smile, "yeah, make her cry real good for what she had done to you and, oh, don't forget about Hyde too" he says excitedly. Eric looks at her with a little twinkle in his eyes, making the brunette to look at him weirdly.

"Really?" she asks a bit taken aback by the scrawny man's support as he nods his head enthusiastically. "Come on! They deserve it! You suffered enough Jackie" he says with a big grin plaster on his face, making Jackie to smile back at him.

She stood on her feet and turn to him, "okay, let's go make your best friend and wife cry" says Jackie excitedly like she's a 17 year old again and going to a pep rally. Eric chuckle lightly at the small girl and follow her from behind. But before he could walk into the kitchen, Jackie stops abruptly, making Eric to stop before crashing the little midget in front of him. He lets out an audible groan, "what now?"

"I just want you to know that I am not held responsible for the thing that comes out of my mouth" she informed "and thanks, Stick" she says with a sweet smile a gives him a sweet kiss on his cheeks. Eric looks at her sweetly, "anything for you, devil" he says as he follows the little brunette to downstairs

"But one thing though" he says

"What?"

"Don't tell anybody you kissed me"


	6. Chapter 6

**AN:** Hey there humans! it is I, Dean prepared to upload yet another chapter! thanks a lot for your support guys! and I'm struggling with the next chapter here... i'm having one of those writers block... but still.. I hope you guys enjoy this one first! and Review is like a hug from you and i don't really get one of those here

 **Disclaimer:** I own them? Man, what did I take last night?

Please Review! it's make my heart warm!

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Chapter six

Jackie step into a place she used to thought as her haven once upon time. The basement has changed a bit since she last left it four years ago. The old beaten up is still there, but the color is a bit faded. The old stereo is still there, but she notices the knob to crank up the volume is missing. The shower behind it has new curtains, the washer and dryer combo has changed to blue and there's a sweet scent of fabric softener instead of pot like always. Maybe everything did change when she cut ties with them, maybe.

As she turns to look at them, she had to smirk. Everyone is sitting in their same spot. Hyde is sitting in his chair, trying to look Zen. Eric, who just entered the room with her, is sitting behind his wife on the spine of the couch as Donna is sitting by his knee, talking to Brooke who's sitting next to her. And like always Fez and Kelso are behind the couch, arguing about something dumb again. Jackie smiles at the sight in front of her, at least nobody changed.

Jackie took a seat on the old lawn chair, across from Hyde. As she tried to focus on the TV, Donna spoke up, "so, Uh, Jackie" she called and slowly Jackie turn her head and meet a smiling red head "it's been a long time since we hung out huh?" Donna stated as she clasps her hands together, a bit nervous.

Jackie turn her attention back to the old TV and shrug "and whose fault is that?" she asks coldly, without even moving her eyes away from the TV, not noticing the sad look Donna gave.

"Oh, I know!" Donna says a bit excitedly "how about we go have like brunch together or something? You know, like we used to" says Donna, a bit hopeful that the little brunette would agree. After the past few years, Donna had realized that this little midget is actually important to her as much to everyone else. Especially Hyde.

Jackie finally tore her eyes away from the show that she pretended to watch and look into those green hopeful eyes, she arches her eyes at her. "Yeah…" she trails "I rather catch another cold at the reservoir than eating brunch with you"

Jackie quickly turns her head to the TV. Not wanting to look at Donna's hurt face or the shock on others' or maybe Fez amuse face as he slowly chuckles and mutter under his breath that is audible to others; "ouch, that got to hurt"

Donna slowly sniffle back a tear and stood up, "yeah, I think I need a beer" she says as she went to the old shower as she took one, she turns to Hyde "you want one, Hyde?"

The bearded man didn't answer as he just nodded as he secretly stealing glances on the brunette across her. He's nervous right now, he's now sitting across the girl that he had not only broke, but maybe killed her heart and soul. She looks much beautiful than the last time he saw her. He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself and turn his attention back to the Looney tunes on TV.

As Donna was about to make her way to Hyde, Jackie spoke up, "uh, can I have one too?"

Everyone stopped in their tracks. Donna turns to her former best friend with shock on her face. Fez and Kelso, who are arguing about a toy, stopped their fighting and look at their favorite girls with mouth fell open. Eric and Brooke, who were talking about the school they work, turn to Jackie with a scowl on their face. Meanwhile looks at her curiously and ask, "Since when you drink beer?"

Jackie shrugs nonchalantly and look at him, "four years could change a person you know" she says as she reaches out for the one in Donna's hand. She gives the red head a quick smile before looking back to the TV, "thanks, Lumberjack" she says as she cracked open the beer and gulp half of it down. Noticing the silence, Jackie turn to the others, who are looking at her like she's crazy. "What?" she asks, a bit nervous by their stare.

"You drink beer?" Eric asks then looks around like something snaps in his head, "the hell did freezes"

Jackie scowls at his statement, clearly not liking his word. "What? Can't a girl drink beer for once?" she asks them, then Kelso step forward a bit, standing behind his wife with his hands on Brooke's shoulders. "Jackie" the idiot called, "the last time someone offer you beer, you throw stuffs at them" he informs as he nodded dumbly "yeah, still got that scar from that book you threw" he scowls at the memory as Brooke pats his hand warmly, but she silently rolls her eyes at him.

"Yeah, man" Hyde finally spoke as he stood up and take one beer from Donna's hand, not caring about the red head's glare. "It was you who said that beer is for the poor and bad" he smirks as he takes a swig from his can, "why? Realized that you're already bad, Burkhart?" he asks with his smirk getting wider seeing her frown face. She lets out a scoff, "that was like a million years ago, Hyde" she snaps as she emphasized his name, clearly pissed. "I've changed over the years" she stood up on her feet. Eye on eye with the man that never stopped to steal her breath aw- stop it! She scolded herself and slowly crosses her arms across her chest, somehow making a barrier between her and the man who had broken her much more worse than Kelso has ever did. So, she tried to hurt him where it hurt the most, and luckily she knows where it is.

"And that time I meant someone who's more like a whore you know? Like said Edna"

And there it was. The bomb had been thrown. Everyone mouths fell in shock at the little brunette's remark. Jackie didn't turn her gaze away from the bearded man, as he clenches his jaw hard, that she swear she could see veins pop. She felt her stomach turn upside down, but she couldn't stop herself; "you know Hyde, I thought you were different from her or at least Bud, but sadly" she says as she trails her eyes up and down, "I see no difference from them"

The basement stayed silent for a minute, then Jackie heard Fez muttered loudly to no one actually, "he is going to kill her"

"Donna" Eric calls his wife, who is standing between Hyde and Jackie, looking a bit freaked out. Eric pulls her hand a bit "stay away from the danger zone, honey" he says as he pulls Donna to sit between him and Brooke. Then Kelso turn to Fez and Eric, "50 bucks says Jackie could beat Hyde's ass" he says loudly, thought he was whispering. The others turn to him an incredulous face and Brooke his upper arm, "Michael!"

"Whatever man" Hyde says coldly, pulling everyone's attention back to the ex-lovers. Jackie shivers a bit at his voice. "I'm leaving" he informed as he walks past the brunette and reach for the door, but a mocking voice stopped him from turning the knob.

"Yeah, because that's what you do best"

Hyde turns to Jackie and gives her a killer glare. He fisted his hand, trying hard not to deck this little girl. This little stubborn, selfish bitch, which weirdly he still cared for. He takes a deep breath and let out his Zen face. "Whatever Jackie" is all he said before leaving the basement.

Jackie lets out a frustrated sigh and turn to the others, who are giving a snarky look. "What?" she asks angrily, trying to hide the guiltiness in her voice. "Oh devil" Eric spoke, "you shouldn't have done that" he stated, making the tiny brunette to scowl at him. "What? Why not?" she asks to them then Brooke stood up and took Jackie's hand in hers.

"Honey" she calls out "there's something you should know"

* * *

Jackie walks out the side door from the kitchen. She breathes out the cold from her mouth and shiver a bit at the temperature. She hugs herself, hoping to get a little warmth as her eyes are wandering around the driveway. Jackie once again lets out a cold air from her mouth. She feels so stupid right now. How could she say that awful thing to him? After Brooke told her the whole story about Edna, Jackie felt like decking herself for being such an idiot.

As the tiny brunette is making her way to the garage, she stopped when she saw a black figure sitting at the cement wall that divides the stairs to the basement and the backyard of the Forman's. Jackie hugs herself tighter and walks over to the black figure.

"There you are" she spoke as she could feel her nose go red from the coldness. Maybe this what she gets from being such a big bitch to him. Hyde looks up to her. His face is Zen, his right hand is holding a beer and the other one is holding a joint, well maybe something doesn't really change.

"Congrats" he says sarcastically "want another insult to me as a reward?" he says as he takes a drag from his joint and looks up the darken night. Jackie looks at the rebel as he puffed out the smoke from his mouth and takes a seat beside him and takes the joint from his hand. "What- what the hell are you doing?"

Jackie turns to him and looks into his shaded blue eyes, "taking a hit" she says as she takes a drag. As the smoke went into her lungs, she felt all the nervousness and the crap she has been feeling all evening is all gone with just one smoke. Jackie breathes out the smoke and gives him back the joint.

"Don't you have your own to smoke or something?" Hyde asks irritably as he took the joint from her little hand.

"Don't be a baby, Hyde" she says as she rolls her eyes in annoyance "just share or I'll tell Red"

Hyde squint his eyes at her, "you wouldn't dare"

Jackie looks at him with her squinted eyes as well, "Oh, I dare"

The two former lovers look at each other in the eyes for a few seconds before erupting into a fit of laughter. Hyde hands her the beer in his hand as the laughter died down, Jackie looks at him and give him a smile before happily accepts it. They sat there, feeling comfortable with each other presence. Just like old times.

"What happened actually?" she asks as she never her eyes off him, "Edna"

Hyde shrugged as he takes a long drag, "drank herself to death"

"Huh" Jackie sighs and scowl a bit then turn to him "so, you're trying to be her too?"

Hyde turn to her with an angry scowl, "what the hell does that even mean?" he snaps but she seems unfazed by his voice. She looks him in the eyes and takes a deep breath, "what are you doing here Hyde?" she asks softly with the usual look she always gives to him. "After what Kitty and the others had filled me in with, what's the difference are you doing from Edna?"

Hyde looks at the soft looks she gives him. His heart softens at the look only, but he quickly looks away and scoff lightly, "why do you care?" he says lowly, "like you said I'm no difference to Edna and Bud"

Jackie shakes her head and cradled his head between her hands. Mismatch eyes over shaded blue eyes. "No" she says softly "you're different from them. They run away from their responsibilities. They ran away from you because they can't handle the responsibilities" she stated, making Hyde's heart beating heavily over his ribcage. "You… well, you never run away from anything. Not from the Forman, your store or even your… wife" she says with hurt at the last word. Hyde scowl at her "she not my wife" he stated the obvious, clearly not liking the word that came out her mouth. Jackie smiles at him and pulls away from his face making his face to feel cold.

"Anyways" she quipped as she looks up the black sky, "I know you're the person that never let the person you love down" she says as she looks him in the eyes with the same hope she used to give once upon a time.

"But I've let you down" he says, deadpanned. Making Jackie to look into his shaded blue eyes and taken aback, "well" she says a bit flustered "maybe, it's because you didn't love me back then" she says lamely making him to scowl at him, he scoff incredulously at her remark, "you know how I think before, doll." He stated "but sadly, you still never know how I felt for you"

Jackie scowl at his statement, "okay, I think we're out of the topic here" she says and quickly added, "And we're not going to talk about feelings that used to happened four years ago"

"Whatever you say doll"

Jackie gives him a side glance as he continues to drink his beer. Scowling, Jackie took away his beer; "hey!" he exclaims angrily but to make it worst, she even took away his joint and threw it on the ground. "What the hell's wrong with you? I've paid for early advance for that!" his voice is higher than before as he stood on his feet and tried to take away the beer can on her hand, but Jackie quickly stood up on her feet and bring the can behind her, so he couldn't reach it.

"No!" she yells as she shakes her head furiously, "you're just ruining your life, Steven"

Hyde looks at her with a brow quirked upwards, "so, we're back to 'Steven' huh?" he asks her sarcastically and tried to take the can behind her once again. "Give me back the beer Jackie; I don't care if I'm going to ruin my life or not" he tried to take the beer, but damn the girl is sly.

"Damn it Jackie" he cusses "just give me back the damn beer" he yells but the small girl seems unfazed by his voice as she stubbornly kept the beer behind her back. "No" she yells back. "I'm not allowing you to ruin your life Steven Hyde, I won't allow it"

Hyde is baffled by the brunette in front of him. How dare she act like she was there for him the past four years, how dare this girl act like she cares about him and how dare she act like she has the rights to do anything to him. Hyde folded his arms across his chest; he is now beyond pissed now. "Who are you to say that?" he asks coldly to her "you left us, Jackie. For like almost four years ago and now you don't get to be the one to pretend that you care, Jackie. You don't get to come back to our life and pretend that nothing happened, you cut ties with everyone. You cut ties with the Forman's, you cut ties with your best friend, and you cut ties even with Fez and the Kelso's. You didn't even show up to Donna and Forman wedding because you're too busy watching 'Three's company'? I mean she's your best friend for heaven's sakes and you run away Jackie; and that's the most coward thing I've seen you done Jackie."

Jackie looks at the curly haired man in front of her. Her mouth fell open by the shock of his word. The hand that hold the beer can fell limply by her side, she looks at the snowy grass and takes a deep breath. "At least I'm doing something" she mutters under her breath.

"What?" Hyde asks a bit confused. Jackie looks up into his shaded eyes with emptiness in hers. She threw the beer can at the wall near them, making the amber liquid to splash to from the can to the wall and a few drop of it hit them but they didn't even look away from each other.

"At least I'm doing something Steven, than sitting around cooped up in that dingy basement hiding from your fear of growing up" she snaps loudly, anger boiling inside her chest and she's ready to let it all out. "At least I'm growing up Steven, what did you do for the past four years? Drinking? Or smoking you brain out? Or whoring yourself out?" she asks as she jabs his chest hard by every word that left her mouth. Hyde quickly snatch her finger and held it tight, "At least I used to be married Jackie" he says between gritted teeth, but the brunette just scoffs dismissively by his word.

"And sadly, that happily marriage was all a scam, yeah Steven, you did great with your life" she says with her words are heavy with sarcasm. "I have a shop, Steven" she stated as she takes away her finger from his grasp "a small shop, I admit that. But I've got tons of clients and customers that I've been thinking of opening another shop around here. I've got a car that I bought with my own hard earn cash and I've got two workers who are terrified by me and I've a big house that I paid the bills for. I've been working and paying for everything that I'm obligating to pay for almost four years and I've been doing that all by myself. I didn't need your help; I didn't want you help that time even though there have been times I wanted to call everyone to say that I'm alone and scared but can't because that just shows that I am the sad shallow princess that always crawling back to you people"

Hyde looks blankly into those mismatch eyes that had lose its sparkle.

"Yes Steven" she admitted suddenly, "yes, I'm a coward for not showing up to my best friend's wedding but as I remembered I lost Donna the day when she decided to be friends with that stripper of yours. Yes, I've cut ties with the Forman's and Fez, because I know they are going to call me 24/7 to my home and try to coax me to come back to the basement and no, I didn't cut ties with the Kelso's because somehow they're a much better companies and friends that you and Donna could've ever be" she says with venom in her voice "and yes, I'm too busy watching 'Three's company' to come for Donna and Eric's wedding. But it's much better than being burn by every fat chance that you and anyone else had in them"

Jackie closes her eyes and takes a deep breath; she rubs her hands over the line that had been dented on her forehead and lets out an exhausted sigh, "and of course I still care for you, Steven. Yes, you were a jerk to me the past few year before, but that didn't mean I would stop caring for you" Jackie took a step forward and touch his beard. She started to feel memories to flow into her mind as she touches the beard. From the lazy summer in '78 until the day he shaved it off for her.

"You're a jack ass I get that" she whispers as she closes her eyes, trying to enjoy the feeling on her fingers and the memories that won't stop flooding into her mind. "But it seems that I can't get you out my head and heart, Steven"

And with that statement it shocked the both of them as Jackie quickly opens her eyes and sees his shock face. She quickly tore away her hands from his face with a little red crept onto her face, slowly she took a step or two back as her hands fell limply next to her sides.

"I- I better go inside" she stutters as she tried to turn, Hyde quickly pulls her wrist, so she is facing him and pulls her head and crashed his lips onto hers. It shocked them, but it was more to a pleasant surprise. Jackie mismatch eyes look into his shaded blue depths, trying to see what he's actually doing, but all she could see that he needed this and he looks scared. Slowly Jackie closes her eyes, letting the feel of his lips overwhelm her just like it used to once upon a time before.

It started as a slow and sensual kiss, but it started to get heated as their tongue started to reintroduce themselves. Jackie felt the spark in the kiss, the same spark she felt when they kiss on Veterans Day a few years back, the kiss that she claimed that she didn't feel anything. But god, now she felt everything. After a few minutes, they pull away from the kiss as oxygen has become a matter to them. She stared at his swollen lips for a minute as she tried so hard to regain her breath. Slowly she looks up into his eyes, but it was hidden behind a plastic barrier, making her break from her little trance. Quickly she pulls away from his warmth, making him to scowl at her, "Jackie?" he calls but she just shakes her head as she looks at her feet

"No" she mutters under her breath, then she looks at him "this is a mistake" she spoke loudly before leaving him calling out her name. She went to the side door that lead her into the kitchen and was welcomed by the sight of Kitty pulling out a tray of fresh baked cookies from the oven and turn to smile as she saw Jackie who just entered the room. "Why hello there honey, you're about in time, the dinner is about to start. So why don't you-" Kitty's word is cut off as Jackie just walks past her with Hyde, who just entered the room, calling out her name.

Feeling her gut to flip upside down, Kitty follows the small brunette into the living room with Hyde hot on her heels. As they enter the living room, everyone was there; even Red was there, trying hard to ignore everyone in the room as he watches some random sport on TV in his recliner.

"Jackie, dear?" kitty calls out, pulling everyone's attention to the little brunette who is pulling her coat from the rack. "I'm sorry Mrs. Forman" Jackie says as she put on the sleeves "I just can't do this" Jackie reaches to the door knob, but kitty voice stops her, "but what's wrong honey?"

She turns to Kitty and looks at everyone, but her eyes stay at Hyde for a little longer before shaking her head, "I'll- I'll just come back tomorrow, okay?" Is all she says before walking out of the door.

Everyone looks at the door as silence fell onto them, then a voice boom, "what the hell did you do?" Red asks as he looks at his surrogate son. Hyde looks around the room and notices that everyone is looking at him angrily.

"Something that I should've done four years ago" he mutters under his breath as his eyes stuck on the door.


	7. Chapter 7

**AN:** Hey there humans! it is I, Dean prepared to upload yet another chapter! I need to warn you guys that Jackie in this story is seriously OOC... and man, I'm gonna torture Hyde so bad... so, anyways... enjoy!

 **Disclaimer:** I used to man... I used to

* * *

Chapter seven

Hyde have been yelled a thousand times in his life. He has been yelled for possession, he has been yelled for smoking the basement, but never in his 23 years of living had he ever experienced this before. All seven eyes including one little eyes looking at him angrily as he sits in the blue kitchen chair looking up to the angry looking adult and toddler.

"Did you know how hard I had to make her come? I had to guilt trip her and now I have to think another trip for her to come for New year's eve!" Kitty practically screamed at him

"Are you on dope dumbass? Because, boy, I hope you are because I'm going to put my ass so hard, you won't need drugs to survive it!" Red says this time, making him blink rapidly

"Nice going you dill hole, now how am I going to make amends with Jackie now if you're just going to ruin everything that involves her? God Hyde think for a minute will ya?" Donna says angrily as her face is red as her hair

"Wow Hyde" Eric chuckle at first, but when he notices the others angry scowl he quickly recovers to his angry demeanor "I mean, bad Steven" he says with a fake anger. Then Donna smack his chest, "Ow, come on Donna. You got to admit it's funny!"

The red head just scowl at him before walking away, rolling her eyes in annoyance.

"Man, Hyde" Kelso says with a dopey grin, "I used to think that I'm the one who always screws up, but that tittle fell to Eric when he gave Donna that promise ring, but man the tittle just fell onto you for screwing everything, I mean what did you do? Kiss her?" he asks incredulously before chuckling as Hyde just smirks at him

"Wait, did you?"

"Hyde, it was not easy for Mrs. Forman and me to convince Jackie to come" Brooke says as he holds a pouting Betsy in her arms, then an angry cough is heard from behind, rolling her eyes she added lamely, "and Fez too"

"Yeah" the little Kelso says as she pouts sadly, "I was about to play princess with mummy, but you just blew it" she blew raspberry to him, making him to wipe the spit that just hit his cheeks "Thanks a lot, father" she says before turning away from her godfather.

"You son of a bitch!" Fez yells as he got in front of Hyde. His puts his hands on his waist, ready for some bitching. "Four years" he stated "Four years, I've waited for my goddess to come back but it just took you what?, one hour, two? To make her leave!"

"Actually, it's an hour and a half" Hyde finally spoke, but it earns a hard looks from them.

"I need my goddess and you had to ruin it!, good day!"

"But Fez, man" Hyde calls out, trying to hold hid laughter by biting his tongue

"I said, Good Day!"

Fez didn't storm out of the room like he always does, but he just lean to the wall beside the phone as he lets out an angry huff of air and crosses his arms angrily. Then once again Red and kitty stood in front of him.

"What did you do to her, explain to me. Now!" Red order as Kitty nodded her head furiously and added, "Yeah dumbass!"

"Something I've should've done 4 years ago" he stated in his Zen manner, but it earns a scowl from the others

"You've burned her?" Eric asks

"You were doing it with her?" Kelso chimed in stupidly

"You pulled her hair?" Betsy ask too, a bit confused

Then Donna gasp, "Oh my God, did you just hit her or something?"

Everyone looks at him with a bug eyes and Red's veins started to pop, "Did you Dumbass?" Red ask angrily, practically yelling at his second son, "because if you do, I'm-"

"What?" Hyde cuts him off quickly and shakes his head no, "No I didn't, Donna" he says as he threw a menacing glare to his friend, who just threw her hand in the air in a 'don't shoot' manner.

"I-" Hyde eyes fell onto his hand on his lap, it is shaking. This is the hand that always protect her, the hands that always pulls her small body closer to his whenever she always sits on his lap, the one that always made its way to tangle itself in her strawberry scented hair whenever they kiss, the hands that always pulls her closer to him in the dark when they slept together, the hands that she always loves to hold into because it made her feel loved. The love that she thought she had lost.

Hyde looks up to them and lets out a humorless chuckle, "I supposed to be hating her" he stated lowly to them, making everyone to exchange a few weird glances to each other, not knowing what to say exactly.

Then Hyde continues, "Seriously man, after these year I've spent thinking on how my reaction to her; just ignoring her or tell her everything how she had made me feel after he left me. And thought I was going for the silence" then he lets out an incredulous scoff "and it seems that I have choose the one that made me tell her everything that she made me feel. And man, didn't that just fell down in the crapper?" he lets out another chuckle but it sounded bitter in their ears.

Hyde knows he is playing with fire here by telling them all about his feeling, but he feels like if he don't do this, he might just jump off the water tower repeatedly. "is this how it's going to work now?" he ask the others suddenly as he stood up on his feet, "she will come here and I'm just going to stand across the room from her and just watch her like a forbidden fruit, knowing that she'll just fallen off my grasp because of every stupid thing that I made"

Everyone stood there on their feet, frozen. Not knowing what to do right now because never once in their life had they ever heard Hyde talk about his feelings, not even if he was drunk. Then Eric spoke up from the group; "Well you can always change that right?"

Hyde looks at his adopted brother scowling but before he could say anything, Kelso jumps in, "Yeah, and you've never been this happy since-" he stopped as he saw the looks he has gotten, he lets out an awkward cough before taking Betsy into his arms, "Let's go baby" he said before went into the living room by the swinging door.

"Look son" Red calls out, ignoring the idiot that had just left the room. "For once she might not fallen off your grasp if you just do the right thing, don't listen to the destructive voice in your head, just listen what is right for you" Red advices as he pulls Kitty closer to him, clearly not comfortable to give advice to his surrogate son in front of the others. "And what I meant is, what are you going to do now?"

Hyde looks at their expectant faces as he listen to the one small voice at the bottom of his heart that he has never heard again since Chicago. He closes his eyes as he takes a deep breath. As he open his eyes, there's determination behind his amber colored aviators; "I'm going to win my Doll back"

* * *

Jackie walks into her big and empty house, panting as she closes the door and lean at the big oak door. She traces her lips with her finger and slowly closes her eyes. A thousand feeling started to swim inside of her, happiness, nervousness and excitement. She lets out a small smile crept onto her lips at the thought of Hyde's lips kissing her again, his warm lips gliding over her cold ones, sending warmness no to her lips only but spreading it to her every nerve in her body. Making it tingle to the bone.

But then a deep and cold voice suddenly taunting her at the back of her head

 **"Well yeah, what you think I'd wait a whole summer for you?"**

Damn. Jackie gripped the side of her temple, trying so hard to block that voice from taunting her yet again after all these years she tried to push it away. No, Hyd- Steven would never do that to her, not this one.

 **"Look man, you and I, don't have anything in common. You're like, a square you know. A cheerleader."**

"No…" she whisper lowly to herself as she slides down to the floor and brought her knees closer as she tried her best to not cry right now. No, Steven cares for her, he- he loves her and that kiss had just been the proof of how much he loves her.

 **"I don't love you anymore" a voice says with venom "I love Sam now"**

Jackie's eyes widen as she remembered that painful reminder.

I love Sam now

I love Sam now

 **I love Sam now**

I love Sam now

I love Sam Now.

"He loves Sam now" she whisper to herself repeatedly, saying the mantra she has been saying to herself for the past four years whenever she gets to hopeful and fallen into the role of the pathetic girl once more.

Slowly, Jackie stood up on her feet and opens her eyes and reveals the cold and lonely ice she had created for herself over the year. No, she won't be the girl that always been pushed down again. She won't let him hurt her anymore. She's not the sad little girl that needs security from other people because she is capable to do that herself. The years of bullying Jackie Burkhart has died years ago when he decided to keep that skank wife of his.

Jackie made her way to her kitchen and takes a bottle of tequila from the liquor cabinet and drink straight from the bottle. Trying to drink herself to the oblivion at the thought of Steven Hyde laughing at her for being so stupid with the others. She took another swig. 'Maybe he thinks this is another joke to him, a burn' she thought to herself and takes another swig but this time the transparent liquid felt bitter in her throat. Damn those bastards.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** I used to man... I used to

* * *

Chapter eight

25 December 1983

Christmas day

1.00 p.m.

Burkhart's living room

The always clean and organized room is now looks like the Tasmanian devil had just passed by. The stereo is playing some loud Rolling Stones song repeatedly, there's some dried spilled tequila and wine on the floor and, the coffee table is seen tipped off to the back. Then a groan was heard from behind the white couch.

A small hand reaches out and held the spine of the expensive couch tightly as the person slowly emerges from behind the couch. Jackie laid her chin on the couch. Her face looks puffy as her eyes is red and there's a dark circle underneath it. She once again lets out a groan as her head is pounding furiously against her skull. Damn tequila and wine combination, should've known those were never a good thing for her.

She forcefully pulls herself on her feet and stumbled her way to the stairway and to the bathroom. Entering the large white room, she looks at herself in the reflection, Damn, she looks just like her mother, drunk and pathetic. She lets out a bitter laugh but quickly winces at the pounding in her head. Damn hang over.

She washes her face repeatedly, hoping it would ease up the in her head a bit. Then she took her toothbrush and put a small amount of mint balm on it. Then once again she looks at herself in the mirror. There's no more the shallow cheerleader that craves the approval of her mother or friends. There's no more the scared girl that tried everything she could so everyone doesn't leave her. And most importantly, there's no more people judging by how she lives and everything she stands for. But all Jackie can see is a dependent girl, the one that have mastered the way of living alone, even if she despite it. The one that have made a career of herself, and the one that capable of taking care of herself without any help or shoulder to cry on.

She is capable of taking care of herself.

Even if it's painful.

And lonely.

So damn lonely.

Crap. She shakes her head from her little thoughts. She shouldn't feel like this anymore. She already move on from them. That's why she is practically happy with her living arrangement.

'Stop fooling yourself' said a taunting at the back of her head that she tried so hard to push away these past years then it added, 'if you're happy with your life, you would've showed it to them years ago'

"Shut up" she groused as she started to brush her teeth but the voice didn't stop, 'ah, still the sad girl that hide behind the tough one and who does that remind us to?' the voice ask mockingly as Jackie started to brush her teeth much more harder making her gums bleed in the process.

'Oh yes! That Ste-"

Crack

She looks at the broken glass in front of her. Her breath is heavy as ever and she ignored the pain that started to seeped into her hand that had just punched the big mirror in front of her. There's blood trickling down the broken glass as she slowly pulls her hand away, she looks at the small pieces of glass that have cutting into her knuckles and making it bleed more in the process.

'Huh, just like he always do, don't you think Princess?' the voice ask in mocking wonder as it chuckle evilly at the back of her head. Jackie closes her eyes and fell into the ground. She brought her knees closer to her chest and laid her forehead on it. "Stop" she all but pleaded "Just stop"

'Wish I could kid' said the voice, 'wish I could'

* * *

25 December 1983

Christmas Day

10.00 A.M.

Hyde's apartment

The soft voice of Nat King Cole from the radio on the night stand filled the messy room. A groan is heard from the bed and a hand reaches out shut off the radio before Nat could even sing the next verse of the song. Then the warm and cozy comforter is pushed aside and Hyde just lay there and just stare at the ceiling.

He feel nervous.

Never once he thought he would feel it after all this while but knowing that Jackie would be there again, he couldn't help but feel nervous. She would be there once again. And this time he would do everything he could to win her back.

But there's something told him that this is not the same girl he used to fall once upon a time before. Telling him that this Jackie is not his Jackie. this Jackie is aloof and trying her best to stir herself away from him and the others. He always known that Jackie always keeps grudges on people because, come on, she's a cheerleader, of course she hold grudges on everyone that pisses her off.

But that's the point. She's not pissed. She broken. Emotionally and physically. And it's his fault to make her feel that. His stupid attitude and ego, just wouldn't want to lay low for her, not even for an inch.

But it's okay, because this time he is going to win her back like he used to do and he would never back down from it, even if she tried to push him. He had won her once, he could win her twice. It wouldn't be that hard, right?

"Damn It" He cursed under his breath as he sits up on his bed. He rubs his eyes and his eyes fell onto the picture on his night stand. It was taken on the valentine dance on '78, Jackie looks happy in the photo as he just stand there looking smugly next to her with a smirk on his face and his arms around her shoulders. He lets out a sad smile upon the picture, sometimes it wonder him on how easily a happy relationship could go down the crapper just like that and it's not someone's fault but his.

Then his eyes fell to the ring next to it. He slowly picks it up and lets out a huge smirk. He actually bought it from the gumball machine at The Hub and thankfully it wasn't for Jackie actually. It was for the one girl that he had meet after the two years Jackie left him. The girl he thought he actually loved enough to marry. But sadly, it was just another hook up for her and she just left him after he proposed to her; saying that she has a wonderful job offered to her at New York that she doesn't need someone to hold her back. Heather Winslow. The name that would always burn into his head but not his heart.

He stood up on his feet, and then he realized something. Gifts. Her gifts. Cursing under his breath, Hyde quickly took a shower and puts on some clothes before driving to the nearest 7-eleven to buy her gifts.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's note:** Dun Dun Dun! I've return! and i'm sorry for the long wait Humans, I've a lot in my plate right now, but after reading all of your wonderful review, I've decide to man up and write this story for all of your sakes. so enjoy and Review!

 **Disclaimer:** I used to man... I used to

* * *

Chapter Nine

Jackie bring her now bandage covered hand up and tries to knock onto the door but once again, didn't have to courage to knock on it. She has been standing in front of the Forman's door for almost 20 minutes now, but she still doesn't have the courage to knock on it. She's afraid, afraid that when she knocks, the person opening the door would be Hyde or worse, Donna.

Taking a deep breath once again, Jackie bring her hand up but freezes right there. She lets out a shaky sigh and sits down at the porch, putting her bags of gifts aside, she bring her knees closer and rests her forehead onto it.

Now this is just downright pathetic. If she couldn't even do a simple task like knocking on the door, how can she go through with the next one, which is facing the others; especially Fez and Kitty when they would see the wound on her hand and the poorly wrapped band aid over it. What will their reaction to her injured hand? Would they make a big deal out of it?

Groaning, Jackie buries her face onto her knees and pulls at her raven hair slightly. Since when does a simple and easy job looks so damn hard?

"Jackie?" a voice calls out, making Jackie to jerk her head from the confines of her knee. Looking up, she lock gaze with Brooke's worried ones. In the taller brunette hand is a bag of present for the people inside, and somehow, Jackie felt like she doesn't belong with the people inside there anymore. "Are you okay, honey?"

Jackie licks her dry lips and pulls onto her denim sleeves, hoping that it would cover the wound from Brooke's vision and nods her head. "Yeah. I'm great, just needed some fresh air ya know?"

"Uh huh" Brooke says skeptically, eyeing the small girl from top to bottom, but Jackie quickly look away from her inspecting eyes as she stand up quickly on her feet, brushing her floral dress in the process.

"Come on, let's go" Jackie turn back to the first obstacle, she brought her hand up, but once again freeze as she feel her heart is pounding wildly. She looks down to her feet, as she fisted her hand, making her knuckles turning white by the force of it. She starts to take a few deep and shaky breaths as she lays her forehead on the green wooden door and she slowly falls into the taunting familiar voice at the back of her head

Brooke looks over to Jackie, frowning when Jackie just freeze on her spot, worriedness starts to take up residency on her face when she saw Jackie's daze expression. Opening her mouth to ask the smaller brunette in front of her, suddenly, the front door threw open and reveal a grim looking Red Forman and making Jackie to fall forward but Brooke quickly pull Jackie up on her feet.

The two brunettes look at the older man with a sheepish grin on their faces. "What's the matter with you?" Red ask with a worried and questioning tone mix into one, he shakes his head a bit by the two women in front of him "Are you girls coming inside or do I have to make you to come in?" Red says solemnly to the girls as they quickly make their way inside.

After refusing to take off her jacket, Jackie makes her way to the living room and lets out a soft smile. The room is full of Christmas decoration that she believe Kitty made everyone put it on. The Christmas tree by the staircase is full with garland and ornaments and a few tinsel on it. The banister is covered with green garland with a few candy cane hanging on it. The room feels warm and cozy, the feeling she hasn't felt a long time before and now it's making her nervous and all she wants to do is run away. Run away from this warmness and back to the cold confines of her big house.

As she is about to turn and run, Kitty comes into the room with a plate of freshly baked cookies and jumps happily when her gaze fall onto Jackie, "Oh, goody! You're here!" the older woman says as she puts down the plate on the coffee table and pulls Jackie into a hug and Jackie didn't have any choice but hugs back. "I've made a big batch of chocolate chips cookie for you! Come on!"

Now that could be the reason to stay. Jackie silently gulps when she hears that and allows herself to be drag by the older small woman. Walking into the room, she is welcome by the scent of cinnamon and warm feelings start to fill into her chest. Kitty pushes her to sit on the chairs as she puts down a plate full of her famous chocolate chip cookies on the table.

"There you go, a plate full of love for the girl who we ALL love" kitty says as she lay a motherly kiss onto Jackie's forehead and the raven haired beauty couldn't help but smile at that. She reaches over and takes one cookie and pops it into her mouth. "Oh, I have one more thing for you! It's up in the attic, you wait here while I go and get it!" and just like that, Jackie is now alone in the warm room, her gaze starts to wander around, trying to find any changes since the last time she came, but found nothing. She takes another cookie and stuffs it into her mouth.

Then, the sliding door is open from the outside and walks in Hyde with his shoulder are covered with some of the fallen snow. He shivers a bit from the coldness and close the sliding door behind him and his shaded gaze fall onto Jackie, who seems oblivious by her surrounding as she just continue to munch on her cookies and stare off to nothingness in front of her.

Jackie jumps a bit when her hand bumps into a cold one, looking up, her gaze is lock with Hyde's calm face as he puts one cookie into his mouth, sensing her gaze, he give her a glance from behind his aviators and nod a bit to her, "Hey"

Jackie decides to ignore him as she once again tries to reach for another cookie, but then Hyde speak, "What's with your hand?" she freeze as she look at her hand that's just poorly wrapped and there's some blood seeping out and stain the white gauze, she bit her lower lip, cursing at herself for being reckless.

She shrugs as she takes a cookie, "Stuffs" she mumbles that is audible enough for Hyde to hear but he didn't accept the answer as he frown at her. She locks her gaze on the bowl of fruit in front of her, suddenly finding it as the most interesting thing in the world.

"It wasn't like that yesterday" he points out, trying to push her to tell him the truth, "Come on Jacks, what happened to your hand?" he ask softly as he takes a sit next to Jackie and pull her wounded hand closer to his view, not noticing the flush look from Jackie.

Jackie anxiously pulls her hand away from Hyde and looks down to her hand, not wanting to look at Hyde's questioning look, "I.. Uh, accidentally punched my bathroom window"

Hyde quirk his brow up by that clearly not believing the lie at face, "Accidentally?" he asks with disbelief note in his voice, "Jackie-,"

"I'm alright" she cuts off as she takes another cookie, "I don't need you to worry about me okay? I'm alright" she carefully munches on her cookies as silence starts to take over between them. Then Hyde stand up and Jackie lets out a sigh of relief when she thought that finally he is going to leave her alone, but it is shortened when her gaze fall onto his tall figure walking to the safety kit Kitty always hang on the wall and walks back to her.

He pulls her hand to his gaze and he takes off his aviators to look at her awfully wrapped wound carefully. As he about to open the bandage, Jackie quickly pulls away her hand, making Hyde to lock his blue gaze with Jackie's mismatch ones. "What do you think you're doing?" she ask nervously as she just see something she shouldn't see in his eyes, the little hope that she never thought she would ever see in that blue ice eyes.

"I'm trying to wash your wound Doll, looking at it, I guess you just run it under a cold water and just wrap it didn't you?" he inquire as he pulls her hand under his gaze once again but ends up to be pull back by Jackie. he closes his eyes, trying to gain some patience as he takes a deep breath, "Jackie" he breathes out, "Don't make me call Mrs. Forman to tend that wound Doll"

Jackie slowly gives her hand to Hyde when she hears that, she didn't even turn to his face, not wanting to look that winning smirk making its way on his face as she just look down to her lap, playing with the loose thread of her jacket sleeve ends.

Silence engulf between the two former lover as Hyde is focusing on tending on her wound and Jackie couldn't help but take a few silent glance to Hyde and she feels like her heart is on a trampoline. Her gaze locks onto his beautiful feature, his blue icy eyes is narrowed as he is trying to focus on the cuts on her knuckles, he bite his lower bottom as he sloppily puts the medicine onto her cut, he quickly grab a clean towel as a drop or two of the liquid starts to slides down her small and slender hand. She could see a snowflake or two in his bushy afro hair and is tempted to brush the snowflake away but decides not too as she remember that she already lost the rights to do so. Then her gaze fall onto his unkempt beard, she couldn't help but look at it longingly.

She is now lost in the memories that has start to flow in her mind, the lazy summer of the '78, where they would make out on the couch down the basement and would always be forced to pull away when another person starts to make their way down the steps and into the basement. It was supposed to be wrong but somehow when his hand is on her back and her fingers tangled with his curly hair, it just feels right.

"Hey" Hyde calls out softly to her, snapping her out of her little trance as her gazes is still lock on his features in which is painted worriedness all over it. "You okay?" he reaches out and brushes his thumb on the plane of her cheeks, making her to jump by the contact. Suddenly she feels vulnerable, she feel like breaking down right there when she see that worriedness in that eyes. The feeling she thought she had lost four years ago is now right there, in his mesmerizing and beautiful depths.

Then a reminder ring from the back of her head; 'And the princess falls for the man who broke her once again' the voice speak once again, making her still under his touch, 'Typical Jackie Burkhart' the voice scoff mockingly, making all the vulnerability to disappear and coldness starts to appear in her mismatch eyes.

Jackie pushes away the warm hand and looks away from his beautiful feature. She licks her dry lips, "I'm okay" she states coldly and she could sense the hurt in the look Hyde is giving to her, but she decides not to acknowledge it. She pulls her now well wrapped hand closer to her chest and slowly rubs it, still not looking at him, she speak; "I want to be alone now"

It is meant to be a demand but it comes out as a small plead to her ears and she slowly close her eyes by that. Hyde narrowed his eyes at Jackie and stubbornly crosses his arms; "No" he says firmly, "Not when you're acting like this"

Hearing that, Jackie turn her head back to Hyde with an upset frown. "Me?" she asks bitterly as she points to herself, "I'm not doing anything! You're the one who's acting like a spoiled brat!" she says vehemently as she tries her best not to snap at the older man in front of her.

Hyde rubs his forehead tiredly as he takes in a shaky breath, trying to find his composure with this small woman. Feeling his composure is gained, he locks his gaze with Jackie sternly, and "Jacqueline" he calls out firmly that actually reminds her of her father who is now maybe on the ship, cruising with her mother on the seven seas. "Can't we for once just act civil with each other?" he all but pleads as he speaks in that flat tone that has a little hope in it, the voice she always hears once upon a time before. "You know? Just two friends hanging out at a party"

"We were never friends" she reminds him the bitter fact as she once again licks her dry lips. "We used to be lovers but never friends" and it was the truth. The first time they've met, they hated each other guts and they skipped the friend phase and jumped into being lovers. They never know how it feels to be each other friend, all they know; they are true enemies and perfect lovers at the same time.

Hyde nods his head at that, "I know that, but why can't be friend for just tonight?" he inquires as his usual blue icy eyes starts to sparkle in hopefulness. Something that Jackie rarely sees in that eyes.

She gulps at that and look away. She has never been this uncomfortable in her entire life. This Hyde is not the Hyde she remembered a few years ago. This Hyde is suffocating her with all of this attention and hopefulness that it actually makes her gut clench. And she couldn't help but feel a sense of Déjà vu hitting her, but this time it the opposite. Now he's the attention seeker and she is the lone wolf.

"Come on Jackie," Hyde calls out once again, "Just do it for Mrs. Forman's sakes"

And there it is the guilt card. She shakes her head derisively by that, she wanted to say no and screw him but she couldn't now when she know how big this is for Kitty. That woman has spent all her life taking care of everyone's needs and just this once she just wanted all of her family to be under one roof altogether.

She turns to him reluctantly and sigh, "Fine" she says, but before a smirk could make its way on his lips, she quickly speak, "But after tonight, we're not friend or even acquaintances or anything, get it?"

He smirks, "Whatever you say dear"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

25 December 1983

Christmas day,

20:17 P.M

Forman's living room,

Jackie stand by the mini bar with the most uncomfortable smile plaster over her lips as she listen to Kitty ramble on about her New Year's Eve plan as the older woman takes a sip of her drink now and then.

The others had already arrived a few minutes after her little 'truce' with Hyde, and each and one of them won't stop giving her one of those sad and pity looks every time Hyde is near them, as if they're trying to channel their sympathy by the mere look, but apparently fails as every time tries to ask her how's she holding on, she quickly turns around and acted like nothing had happened.

But what pisses her most are the looks and longing gaze Hyde has been sending to her from across the room. When 'truce' came into her mind, she always thought it would be just a small smile and a few nod of acknowledgement from across the room.

But, oh boy, can't she be more wronger.

Jackie shifts a little in her stance as she tries to ignore the look from Hyde as she trying her very best to listen onto what Kitty is saying to her.

"Then, I pulled that woman's hair as hard as I could until she let go of Brooke's hair, oh Jackie, you would be so proud at the both of us when you see that dress Brooke bought on Black Friday. And you might even be proud of what we've done as well!"

Red, who has been hearing Kitty telling Jackie the infamous 'Black Friday' story, couldn't help but scoff as he added; "Yeah, and they're banned from the store for like a month now" he says solemnly as he quirks his lips into a tight line; "leaving them here at home, bothering me"

Jackie couldn't help the smile that is making its way onto her lips as she watches Kitty turn to Red with a mock hurt plaster over her face, but it is reply with another scoff from the older man as he grumble of how he is not going to take what had he said back.

She has always admired the relationship Red and Kitty had, they are so different from each other but that didn't stop them from searching and loving each other. And deep down she want that too.

Then, the brunette is pulled away from her thoughts when she feels the end of her jacket is being tug. She look down and quirk her brow up as her gaze is locked onto her god daughter small figure, smiling widely at her; showing the brunette her teeth.

Jackie sets her cup at the counter top next to her and slowly kneels in front of the small girl with a soft look over her face, "Merry Christmas Honey, where's my Christmas hug?" she ask as she open up her arm, waiting for the small girl to give her a big hug.

Betsy giggles happily at that and makes her way into Jackie's embrace and wrap her small arms around her god mother. "Happy Christmas, Mummy!" the girl shriek in excitement as she looks over to Jackie with her eyes widen in excitement.

Jackie chuckle a little by the girl's enthusiasm, then her gaze fall onto the brown package in Betsy small hand, she scowls a little as she ask the girl; "What you got there angel?"

Betsy looks over to her hand and widen her eyes in realization as she thrust the package toward Jackie; "It's for you Mummy!" she says as Jackie skeptically take the package from the toddler's hand.

"Uh, who is it from baby?"

"No!" Betsy exclaim as she brings her hands to her mouth and cover it, as if she's trying it hide the biggest secret in the world. And Jackie couldn't help the small smile that is making its way on her lips.

"Not for your little mummy?" Jackie ask as she pouts sadly but it is replies with a stern shake of a head from the small girl in front of her, "Okie-dokey then"

Jackie chuckle a little as she takes a seat on the couch and pulls Betsy to sit on her lap, "Let's open this present shall we?"

Jackie slowly tears package with Betsy smiling excitedly on the side, after carefully ripping the wrapping paper, Jackie's smile falter a little as she sees the content of the gift.

A hand full of Kit-Kat

And a few bars of Mars

Jackie feels all air leave her lungs as she stare at the candy intently. Behind her mind, a faded memory starts to seep in.

 _"Kit-Kat; cause I rather take a break with you" he says as he pops a stick of the chocolate goodness into his mouth_ _"And Mars, cause instead of the moon, it's the only thing that I can assure you I can give" he says as he gives her another chocolate bar._ _She takes it with a wide grin on her lips as she gives him a sweet look; "That is so corny" she says as she tore the wrapping paper, taking a bite of the goodness, "But it's so sweet that it makes up for your lack of love for me"_ _"You know that's not true" he says with an upset frown over his face. "Just because I never say it means I don't feel anything for you"_ _She smiles widely at that as she wraps her arms around his waist, looking up at him lovingly, "Aww, my puddin' pop has feeling"_ _"Shut up"_

"Mummy?"

Jackie quickly turns to the small girl on her lap, looking a little spooked up as she licks her dry lips; "Y-yes?"

"Can I have one please?" the small girl asks expectantly as her eyes twinkle in hopes. Usually, Jackie would make Betsy ask her mother if it's alright, but right now, she isn't on her right mind at the moment as she gives a piece a Kit-Kat to the small girl, making her to squeal in excitement before quickly making her way to where her father is arguing with her Uncle Pez.

Jackie takes in a few calming breath, trying her best not to throw a fit at a certain man. She slowly gets up to her feet and clenches the bag on her hand. She turns to the still bickering couple and ask loudly.

"Have anyone seen Hyde?"

As if time freezes, everyone stop talking as they turn to Jackie with a scared and nervous look over their faces. Kelso, who has been trying to steal his daughter snack and who is still oblivious of his surrounding answers, "He's down the basement, saying that he need some air from the entire joyous mood" he scoff incredulously as he rolls his eyes; "He is such a Grinch"

"Kelso!"

Kelso jump in surprise as everyone yell at him, he looks at them confusingly as Jackie quickly makes her way to the basement.

"What?!" the taller man exclaim in vain; "I'm trying to steal my daughter's chocolate here!"


End file.
